Man involved in Tuesday slaying accused of lying

Friday

A Pine Bluff man accused of lying to police investigating a homicide was released from the county detention center Friday pending further investigation.

A Pine Bluff man accused of lying to police investigating a homicide was released from the county detention center Friday pending further investigation.

Ryan Bishop, 20, had been charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution after he initially told police he didnít know the woman he shot in what he said was a robbery attempt.

Tashara L. Banister, 20, was found inside Bishopís truck at 1:39 a.m. Tuesday after police were sent to Simmons First National Bank on West 28th Avenue in response to a reported robbery attempt. Banister was pronounced dead at the scene of multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body.

According to an affidavit from Detective Jerry Lambert, Bishop told officers he did not know the woman, and claimed she had jumped into his truck, took his wallet at gunpoint, then forced him to drive to the bank automatic teller machine and ordered him to withdraw money. Bishop said there was a struggle over the gun and Banister was shot.

Lambert reported that when Bishop was interviewed a second time, he said he knew Banister and had bought drugs from her in the past. Bishop also reportedly told detectives in the second interview that he initially met Banister to buy drugs from her and she tried to rob him.

No charges have been filed against Bishop in connection with the shooting death and the police investigation is continuing.

In addition to Bishop, two women who were identified by police as Banisterís sisters were also charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution, and were also released pending further investigation.

Takela Johnson, 26, was reportedly driving a car that followed the truck Bishop was driving, and Kaishadd Brown, 22, was a passenger in the vehicle, according to affidavits from Lambert, and that both had initially lied about being at the scene of the shooting.

Lambert reported that both sisters said they didnít know Banister was going to ďhit a lick,Ē a street term for pulling a robbery.

Banisterís death was the 13th homicide of the year in Jefferson County and the 12th inside the Pine Bluff city limits.

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